Best Platter Material

atma,
Ive always wondered why people didnt just use an old record as a mat, if the intent is to match the impedence of vinyl. Nothing could be closer than another record, and there are certainly plenty of mitch miller or lawrence welk albums out there to make as many mats as the world could use. Maybe sand off the grooves so it is perfectly flat and then bond to the platter.

You would think that Harry would have settled the matter, after 30 years. Harry keeps changing VPI materials, but that is only because of the need to keep selling stuff. I am sure he figured it out years ago but would never admit so. Years ago Harry adopted the automobile marketing model, which is repackage every year or so. Keep the money flowing. So, lets ask Harry to come clean!

M Fremer in his last article about the VPI CLASSIC 3 turntable (best analog component of the year) wrote aluminium is the best material.

One point for acrylic, check the best turntables in the world (Transrotor, Clearaudio...) all of their flagship models has this platter material

Buconero
I think you are right. To me these things are often purely dictated by whatever is the "latest fashion trend" in audio. When the HW-19 first came out it had an aluminium platter. At the time the hype about acrylic as a 'wonder' material was gaining momentum so the acrylic platter came out which received great reviews in TAS vs the aluminium one.
Then from vpi we had all sorts of combinations of acrylic/lead/stainless steel/delrin/aluminium etc and now surprise,surprise 'wow' the aluminium platter is back in the classic.
So I think the earlier poster who said execution is paramount was right. Imho all sorts of materials can be made to work well in the appropriate design.

I've read that Clearaudio is switching from acrylic to POM (delrin) with a ss substrate.